Dnr Refuses To Drop Idea Park Fee

MELBOURNE — State officials rejected a request Monday by local legislators to drop a plan to charge entrance fees at Sebastian Inlet State Recreation Area.

The Department of Natural Resources will ask the Cabinet this morning to rescind its 1976 vote prohibiting fees at the popular park and allow fees of 50 cents per person and 50 cents per car at the north side of the park.

Brevard and Indian River legislators, who repeatedly have opposed the move, asked DNR officials at a meeting Monday to withdraw the request.

''We asked, but they said they want the Cabinet to put this thing to rest. If we win, they said they will just let the proposal lie for a while,'' said Rep. Dixie Sansom, R-Satellite Beach.

Sansom, along with Sen. Tim Deratany, R-Indialantic, and newly elected Rep. Harry Goode, D-Melbourne, will speak against the proposal at today's meeting, Sansom said.

Deed restrictions on the land donated for the south side of the park in Indian River County prohibit fees. But the Brevard side of the park, bought by the state, does not have a similar restriction.

If approved by the Cabinet, the proposal would go into effect immediately, said Joe Knoll, chief of DNR's Bureau of Park Operations.